Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

Advertisement

Market Basket protests continue as vendors hope for end to dispute

As Market Basket workers continue their protests over the firing of CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, vendors who don't have anyone buying their products hope the dispute ends soon. Demoulas has put forth an offer to buy the company.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 6:32 PM EDT Jul 24, 2014

Market Basket protests continue as vendors hope for end to dispute

As Market Basket workers continue their protests over the firing of CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, vendors who don't have anyone buying their products hope the dispute ends soon. Demoulas has put forth an offer to buy the company.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 6:32 PM EDT Jul 24, 2014

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT MORNING IN BOSTON. EAF AANY WOODS IS IN BEDFORD TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THIS NEARLY WEEK LONG PROTEST IS SHOWING NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN OR AS YOU CAN HEAR BEHIND ME QUIETING DOWN. MARKET BASKET EXECUTIVES ARE PLANNING A BOARD MEETING TOMORROW MORNING. THEY ARE SURE TO DISCUSS THE PROTEST AND SUPPLY SHORTAGES AT STORES, BUT ARTHUR T. HAS PLANS OF HIS OWN. AT THE BEDFORD MARKET BASKET, EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS DRIVING BY VOICED THEIR SUPPORT. FOR THEIR FORMER C.E.O., ARTHUR T. DEMOULAS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HONKING AND SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT. SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT. I FEEL LIKE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, I SUPPORT THIS MAN 110%, AS HE SUPPORTED ALL OF US. THE MARKET BASKET EXECUTIVE BOARD FIRED ARTHUR T. LAST MONTH. EMPLOYEES AT THE CORPORATE PLANT WALKED OFF THE JOB IN PROTEST LAST FRIDAY, LEAVING SUPPLIES UNDELIVERED AND SHELVES BARE AT THE 71 MARKET BASKET LOCATIONS. BUT EMPLOYEES SAY A RETURN TO THE RIGHT CULTURE IS WORTH THE TEMPORARY BURR FOR CUSTOMERS. HE REALLY BROUGHT LIKE HE WAS REALLY GREAT TO US AS EMPLOYEES, AND ALSO TO THE CUSTOMERS, BRINGING ABOUT THE 4% OFF, AND JUST LIKE GIVING BACK TO THE CUSTOMERS ON EVERYTHING, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO RETURN IT TO THE WAY IT WAS. BUT ARTHUR TFLT ISN'T WAITING FOR THE BOARD'S DECISION. TODAY HE STATED HE WISHED TO BUY THE MAJORITY OF COMPANY SHARES, 50.5%, WHICH OPPOSING FAMILY MEMBERS CONTROL NOW. HE SAID WE BELIEVE THAT OUR OFFER IS A VERY FULL AND FAIR ONE AND SHOULD MEET OR EXCEED A SELLER'S EXPECTATIONS OF THE VALUE OF THE COMPANY. NO WORD ON WHETHER FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING COUSIN ARTHUR S., ARE CONSIDERING ARTHUR T.'S BID, BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION WHICH ARTHUR MARKET BASKET EMPLOYEES FAVOR. HE'S JUST A GOOD GUY. THE FIRST TIME I MET HIM WE TALKED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND ALL THE QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT ME, WHERE DO I LIVE, HOW LONG HAVE I WORKED THERE, HE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ME BEFORE HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE STORE. THAT MERCHANDISE MANAGER WILL BE IN TEWKSBURY TOMORROW TO HELP STAGE WHAT MARKET BASKET EMPLOYEES ARE HOPING IS THEIR FINAL PROTEST. NOT COINCIDENTALLITY, MARKET BASKET EXECUTIVES ARE ALSO HOLDING THEIR BOARD MING AT THE SAME TIME AT THE PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN BOSTON. STEPHANIE WOODS, WMUR NEWS 9. AS WE HAVE SEEN EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN OUT RALLYING ALL WEEK LONG, ASKING CUSTOMERS TO HEAD ELSEWHERE TO SHOP. AND IT HAS BEEN WORKING. LOCAL STORES INCLUDING FARM STANDS ARE SEEING MANY CUSTOMERS LOOKING FOR PRODUCE. OUR KRISTEN CAROSA SPOKE WITH A FEW OF THEM TODAY. THESE PROTESTS HAVE BEEN IMPACTING MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. SOME BUSINESSES ARE SEEING A BOOST, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME STORY FOR LOCAL VENDORS WHO CAN'T MAKE DELIVERIES. MARKET BASKET EMPLOYEES CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR THEIR FORMER C.E.O., ARTHUR T. DEMOULAS. EMPLOYEES IN HOOKSETT ARE RALLYING OUTSIDE, ASKING CUSTOMERS TO BOYCOTT THE STORE, AND IT'S WORKING, MAKING IT TOUGH FOR PEOPLE LIKE JASON. BUSINESS IS OFF. AND WHEN I SAY OFF I'M TALKING NEXT TO ZERO. HE'S AN INDEPENDENT VENDOR OUT OF HOOKSETT AND DELIVERS TO THE TILTON MARKET BASKET FIVE TIMES A WEEK. HE SAYS THE STORE MAKES UP 60% OF HIS BUSINESS, BUT WITHOUT THE CUSTOMERS HE CAN'T DO HIS JOB. OUT OF MY POCKET ALONE, PROBABLY $1500. IT IS WHAT IT IS. WHILE VENDORS LIKE HIM ARE LOSING MONEY, LOCAL FARM STANDS ARE MAKING MORE THAN EVER. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE PAST TWO DAYS. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR PRODUCE. THE VALLEY FARMS IN HOOKSETT HAS SEEN A 30% BOOST IN SALES. SHOPPERS LIKE BETTY HAVE BEEN COMING TO THE STAND FOR PRODUCE SINCE THE PROTEST BEGAN. SHE SAYS SHE WON SET FOOT IN A MARKET BASKET UNTIL THE SITUATION IS RESOLVED. THEY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT, SO I DON'T WANT TO GO IN. THE SCENE IS THE SAME AT THE FLOWER MARKET IN MANCHESTER. WE LOVE MARKET BASKET THE BEST, BUT NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING OTHER MARKETS AND SEEING HOW THAT GOES. WHILE CUSTOMERS WANT TO SUPPORT MARKET BASKET BY SHOPPING ELSEWHERE, THEY DO SAY IT'S HURTING THEIR WALLET. THE DEALS AREN'T THE SAME. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT BEEN A GREAT THING FOR OUR BUDGET, SINCE, THIS WEEK ANY WAY. THEY KNOW THE FEELING. I CAN TAKE THE HIT FOR THE SHORT TERM, BUT FOR THE LONG TERM, JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE, WE HAVE MOUTHS TO FEED. EVEN BUSINESSES SEEING A BOOST RIGHT NOW WANT TO SEE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED, EVERYONE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT BORE

Advertisement

Market Basket protests continue as vendors hope for end to dispute

As Market Basket workers continue their protests over the firing of CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, vendors who don't have anyone buying their products hope the dispute ends soon. Demoulas has put forth an offer to buy the company.